Volume 31, Issue 2 (April 1986)

Relationship Security: The Dynamics of Keepers and Kept

Hiring, training and supervising treatment staff who work closely with forensic patients at all levels of security requires careful planning. In particular, staff must identify and share feelings like fear and anger that are always generated when patients threaten or attack staff. Approaches to dealing with staff countertransference to patients are suggested in this article, and aids to breaking the aggression cycle are discussed. Relationship security is a working through of dynamics that are always in operation where there are keepers and kept.